


I Want a BABY!

by Russell Scottie (Russetfrost)



Series: I Want a Baby series [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Gay Cats, M/M, Surrogate mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-05-13 11:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14748242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Russetfrost/pseuds/Russell%20Scottie
Summary: Firestar is content in life with his mate, but something is missing. He wants a family, a family with kits. How hard could it be to start a family as two toms?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Started in 2012, finished in 2014 on FanFiction. Yeah a large part of this story is 6 years old. I decided to clean it up and cross post it to here and Amino.
> 
> Anyways, I came up with this story idea watching NBC's at the time new series, The New Normal.

Firestar lay outside his den as the midday sun beat down on his ginger fur, curled around his mate whom he watched doze through half-lidded green eyes. He was so lucky, he always thought, to have such an amazing mate as he did.

Strong, confident, talented, and let’s not forget beautiful. It was hard for Firestar to believe that when he first came to ThunderClan, he and his mate hated each other, but now no one could ever tell if there was ever any animosity between the two.

But Firestar couldn't help but feel that something was missing between his mate and himself.

Looking around he spotted his nephew, Cloudtail, slipping into the nursery with a vole in his jaws. Brightheart had just given birth to his daughter, who they had named Whitekit after Brightheart's mentor Whitestorm.

Firestar felt a pang in his heart as he thought about the little family, but he was distracted from the feeling when Sootkit, Rainkit, and Sorrelkit came racing out from behind the nursery, playing with a large moss ball. The trio was due to be apprentices any day now, but they still played all the kit games until the much awaited for day.

The pain came back and Firestar was stumped by it. What was this feeling he felt? As he watched the apprentice-sized kits play, the feeling grew until he understood it; longing. He felt longing.

He was longing to have kits, a family. A glance toward his dozing mate and Firestar began to feel disheartened. What if his mate didn't want kits?

Beside him, his mate stirred awake at the feeling of being watched. Blinking open those blue eyes that Firestar loved so much, his mate stared sleepily up at him. "What are you thinking about?" came the sleepy question.

Firestar dragged his gaze away from those amazing blue eyes and looked down at his paws, shuffling them a bit. "I've been thinking…" he started but trailed off when the right words to voice his thoughts failed to come to him.

"Yes, Firestar?" his mate asked and then yawned.

A sudden confidence filled him and Firestar looked back into those blue eyes that so reminded him of the pale blue sky overhead. "I want kits, Longtail."


	2. Chapter 2

"What?" Longtail blinked his eyes which had gone as round as twin blue moons.

"I said, I want kits," Firestar repeated.

"I heard you the first time," came the grumbled reply. "But why? What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"I want a family, Longtail, a family with kits," Firestar meowed.

"You do realize we are both toms and that it is physically impossible for us to have kits?" Longtail asked, starting to worry about his mate's mental health. He was thinking he was going to need to fetch Cinderpelt.

"I know that," Firestar huffed and rolled his eyes skyward. "I meant with a surrogate mother, we could have kits to raise as our own."

"I don't know, Firestar," Longtail said with a sigh. "What would StarClan think? Two toms raising kits, as far as I know it's unheard of."

"StarClan never had a problem with us becoming mates; why would they have a problem with us wanting kits?" Firestar meowed, not understanding his mate's reluctance.

"At least let us speak with Cinderpelt about this," Longtail said as his gaze drifted toward the medicine cat's den. Maybe he could get Cinderpelt to take a look at Firestar to see if he was still functioning correctly, all of this talk of kits seemed far too sudden and out of the blue to him.

"Sure! I’m sure Cinderpelt will tell you that it'll be just fine," Firestar mewed cheerfully as he bounced to his paws and waited for Longtail to rise before he lead the way over to the medicine cat's den. "Cinderpelt! Are you in?" he called as he entered the den with Longtail behind him.

Cinderpelt popped her head out of the split rock, bits of herbs sticking to her. "Is there something wrong, Firestar?"

"Nothing's wrong, Cinderpelt. We just wanted your advice with something," Firestar meowed as he sat down with Longtail at his side.

"Yes, what is it?" Cinderpelt asked as she came out fully, shaking herbs from her pelt. She looked at the two mates with curiosity in her blue eyes, wondering what this could be about.

"I want to have kits with Longtail, you know with a surrogate mother and all, but Longtail is worried about StarClan accepting this," Firestar explained.

The she-cat's ears perked. "Kits? That's wonderful news that you're planning on having kits! I'm sure StarClan will be just as accepting; it's not unheard of for toms using surrogate mothers to have kits, just extremely rare. Have you decided on who you want to be the surrogate mother?" Cinderpelt purred, eyes bright with delight, truly happy for her former mentor.

"Oh, we haven't gotten that far yet. Do you have any ideas on which she-cat would be willing to become a surrogate?" Firestar asked.

"I have a few ideas on whom," Cinderpelt replied, almost shyly.

"Wait, wait, wait, WAIT! I haven't even decided if I even want to have these kits or not yet!" Longtail butted in, his long tail lashing and ears flattened.

"But Longtail…" Firestar mewed, his ears lowering and eyes becoming large as he stared at his mate.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know, Longtail," Cinderpelt apologized, head lowered slightly.

"Don't give me those eyes, Firestar," Longtail said as he tried to look away from his mate's large green eyes. "This is a big decision; I don't want to rush into this. I don't think I'll even make that good of a father."

"Longtail, you'd make a great father! I know you will," Firestar meowed.

"Yes. You may not see it, but you have very strong fatherly instincts," Cinderpelt added, but Longtail still did not look convinced.

"Look, I'll give you Sootkit as an apprentice. Maybe having a new apprentice with show you how much you are ready to be a father," Firestar told his mate, knowing how much he likes mentoring future warriors.

"Are you bribing me, Firestar?" Longtail asked, looking suspiciously at the other tom.

"Nooo…" Firestar meowed, avoiding eye contact and not sounding very convincing.


	3. Chapter 3

Firestar sat outside his den with a squirrel at his paws, waiting for his mate to return so they could share a meal together. Half a moon has past since Firestar gave Longtail Sootpaw as an apprentice in an effort he hoped would help get the tom to agree to have kits. Though the ginger leader could hardly contain himself from asking if the tabby has changed his mind yet, he managed to in order to not annoy his mate.

He perked up when he saw Longtail pad in with Sootpaw parading at his side, a sparrow in his jaws. Blue eyes met his green ones and the pale tabby nodded, to inform his mate that he was coming.

"Put that on the fresh-kill pile and get yourself something to eat," Longtail told the light gray apprentice.

"Okay, Longtail!" Sootpaw chirped around the sparrow before walking off toward the fresh-kill pile.

Longtail watched him go for a moment before heading over to Firestar. He settled down next to the ginger tom and meowed, "Is that for us to share?"

"Of course!" Firestar purred and the two began to eat the squirrel in silence.

After they finished, the two mates started to share tongues. "How's Sootpaw doing?" Firestar asked.

"Sootpaw's a great apprentice, he's quick to learn and a natural hunter," Longtail mewed, pride shining in his blue eyes as he talked about his young apprentice.

"That's good to hear," Firestar said. He paused for a moment and looked his mate in the eye as he asked, "Have you thought more about kits?"

Longtail looked away, staring down at his paws. "I'm surprised you haven't asked sooner, but yes I've been thinking about it."

"Well?" the ginger tom asked, hope rising in him.

"We can have the kits," the pale tabby mewed.

"That's great!" Firestar cheered, his green eyes shining with excitement. "Let's tell Cinderpelt right away!" He got to his paws and raced for the medicine cat's den.

"Hey- wait!" Longtail called as he got to his paws and rushed after his mate.

"Cinderpelt!" Firestar called as he burst into the medicine cat's den. "He said yes!"

The gray medicine cat came out of the crack in the rock that served as her den. "What? Who said yes?" she asked as she padded over to her leader.

"Longtail! He said yes to having kits!" Firestar exclaimed, joy and delight clear in his voice.

"He did? That's great, Firestar!" Cinderpelt purred in happiness for her former mentor.

"Yes, I said yes," Longtail grumbled as he finally made it in the den. "Now would you both settle down before you bring the whole Clan in here?"

"Sorry, Longtail, but I'm just so happy. You don't know what this means to me," Firestar purred.

"I know it means a lot to you," Longtail meowed, resting the tip of his tail on his mate’s shoulder, before turning to the medicine cat. "So Cinderpelt, who were you thinking would be willing to be the surrogate mother?"

Cinderpelt met their eyes and meowed, "Yes, I was thinking maybe…"

"Me?"


	4. Chapter 4

Cinderpelt met their eyes and meowed, "Yes, I was thinking maybe…"

"Me?" A voice sounded behind the toms, making them whirl around to see who had spoken.

"Sandstorm?" Firestar gasped as he saw the pale ginger she-cat standing at the medicine den's entrance.

"You want to be the surrogate mother?" Longtail asked, confused. Why would Sandstorm want to be the surrogate mother? Didn't she dislike kits? Longtail turned back to look at Cinderpelt, only to find she looked heartbroken. What is with that expression? And who was Cinderpelt going to suggest? He turned back to Sandstorm as she spoke again.

"Yes, I'll be the surrogate mother," Sandstorm mewed.

"But why, Sandstorm?" Firestar questioned confusion clear in his green eyes. "You've never shone an interest in kits before."

"Ferncloud is having Dustpelt's kits," Sandstorm mewed in explanation, looking down at her paws.

"Ferncloud is pregnant?" Firestar asked shocked, clearly having not heard the news. "But I just made her a warrior!"

Longtail rolled his eyes at his mate. "Everyone already knew Ferncloud was pregnant, Firestar. If a she-cat takes a mate as an apprentice, it's not unusual for them to join the queens in the nursery soon after becoming a warrior."

"How come no one told me this?" Firestar asked the pale tabby.

"I did tell you this! Your head was just in the clouds about having kits of your own!" Longtail snapped. Dear StarClan, his mate could be so clueless at times. How did he even become the leader of ThunderClan?

"Oh," the ginger leader mewed. He turned back to Sandstorm and asked, "But what does Ferncloud being pregnant have to do with us looking for a surrogate mother?"

Sandstorm didn't answer and couldn't bring herself to meet their eyes.

"You mousebrain, she's in love with Dustpelt!" Longtail hissed. Everyone knew Sandstorm was in love with Dustpelt ever since they were apprentices. Everyone also thought they'd become mates, that is until Ferncloud became an apprentice and Dustpelt laid eyes on her.

"Really?" the clueless tom asked.

"It's true, I am," Sandstorm confessed as she looked up and met Firestar's eyes. "I overheard you talking about finding a surrogate mother and please let me be her!"

She wanted to make Dustpelt jealous. Longtail saw that clearly, but he was sure that his mate did not.

"Did you hear that Longtail? We were looking for a surrogate and one came to us!" Firestar purred. "Come on Sandstorm; let's talk in a more private place to discuss this further. I don't want any other cat finding out until everything is settled."

As the two ginger cats began to walk through the medicine den’s entrance, Longtail turned back to look at the silent Cinderpelt. The heartbroken look was still on her face as she watched Firestar go.

"Cinderpelt, are you okay?" the pale tabby asked.

The medicine cat looked up at him before averting her eyes. "May I speak with you a moment, Longtail?"

"Sure," Longtail meowed. What did the medicine cat want to speak about? Did she want to tell him about who she wanted to suggest being the surrogate?

"Longtail! Are you coming?" Firestar called from outside the den.

"In a minute!" the pale tabby tom called back. He turned back to the gray medicine cat. "What is it?"

"Please let me be the surrogate, Longtail!" Cinderpelt pleaded.

Longtail was shocked, taking a step back as his mind tried to process what was just said to him. Cinderpelt wanted to be the surrogate? But she was the medicine cat!

"But why?" he asked in a breathy gasp.

"Because I love him," she confessed. "I love Firestar."


	5. Chapter 5

"Because I love him," she confessed. "I love Firestar."

What? Longtail could hardly believe it, but slowly he understood it. The closeness between the former mentor and apprentice, all the soft glances Cinderpelt sent Firestar's way, Cinderpelt's fierce loyalty toward him. He should have seen it earlier.

"You've loved him since you were an apprentice," he realized.

"Yes," Cinderpelt admitted, her eyes staring down at her paws. "But you've loved him longer."

Longtail nodded. "I'll speak to Firestar, perhaps we can work something out," he mewed to her.

"Thank you," Cinderpelt breathed out in relief, looking up and meeting the pale tabby's eyes. "Thank you, Longtail. You don't know what this means to me."

"I think I do have an idea," Longtail meowed, thinking about how long he had loved his mate before confessing to him.

"You should leave now, Firestar will wonder what is taking you so long," Cinderpelt told the warrior.

Longtail nodded and padded out of the medicine cat's den. He found Firestar sitting outside it, alone. "Where's Sandstorm?"

"You were taking too long, she had to take Sorrelpaw out for training," Firestar meowed.

"Can I speak with you in your den?" Longtail asked.

Firestar blinked in confusion. "Sure, but what's wrong? Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I haven't changed my mind, but I just wanted to talk to you in private," the warrior mewed.

"Okay," Firestar said and lead the way into his den.

"I don't think Sandstorm should be the surrogate," Longtail told his mate.

"What? Why not? She's perfect!" Firestar argued.

"No, Firestar, she's not. She's doing it for all the wrong reasons," Longtail explained to the ginger leader.

The ginger tom huffed. "Then who do you suggest?" he asked. "Mousefur?"

"What? No!" the pale tabby shouted, but then broke eye contact and looked away, trying to figure out how to say Cinderpelt wanted to be the surrogate. "I think… Cinderpelt said – " he tried.

"Cinderpelt? Who does she suggest?" Firestar cut him off.

He took a deep breath and came out with it, "Cinderpelt, she wants to be the surrogate."

"Cinderpelt? But she's a medicine cat!" Firestar exclaimed.

"Yet she still loves you," the pale tabby meowed.

"Cinderpelt loves me?" the ginger tom gasped, his green eyes going wide with shock.

"Yes, I think we should let her be the surrogate mother. She deserves it, Firestar," Longtail told him.

"But the warrior code!" Firestar tried arguing.

"When did you care about following the warrior code strictly?" Longtail snapped. "You've broken it plenty of times! Break it one more time. If you won't do it for me, at least do it for Cinderpelt." He got up and began to storm out of the leader's den.

As he was exiting, he faintly heard Firestar’s mew, "Alright, I'll do it."


	6. Chapter 6

After much apologizing on Firestar's part, he managed to get Longtail to return to his den to sleep for the night. "Should we tell Cinderpelt tonight?" Firestar asked his mate.

"No, it's a bit late. We'll take her out tomorrow to tell her," Longtail said as he curled up on a nest of soft moss and feathers.

Firestar nodded and curled up around him, a loud purr rising in his throat. "I can't believe we're going to have kits," he mewed in his mate's ear.

"Don't get too excited. There are many things that could happen in a pregnancy that could cause the kits to be lost," Longtail meowed back with a yawn.

The ginger leader pouted. "Why do you always have to think things through all the time?" he asked.

"Because someone has to think out the two of us and it sure isn't you," the pale tabby said, laying his head on his paws.

"Hey!" Firestar exclaimed, offended.

"Relax, furball; I was just joking," Longtail purred. "Now go to sleep."

Firestar purred back and laid his head on Longtail, closing his eyes. As he waited for sleep to come to him, he heard Longtail's breath even out and become deep as he fell asleep. Please StarClan, let us have these kits. Firestar pleaded to his ancestors before quickly falling asleep himself.

The next morning, the two mates got up early. They shared some freshkill before moving to the medicine cat's den to see Cinderpelt. They walked in and saw Cinderpelt sitting by a pile herbs, absently pawing at them. At the sound of pawsteps entering her den, she turned her eyes toward them. Her normally bright blue eyes were dull as if she hadn't slept the night before. Longtail mused that she most likely hadn't.

"Will you come for a walk with us?" Firestar asked his former apprentice.

Cinderpelt blinked before nodding and getting to her paws. "Sure," she mewed. From the sound of her voice she knew what this was going to be about, but her collected features did not show what she thought the answer was going to be.

The trio left camp, making an interesting sight, the leader, the medicine cat, and the leader's mate. Once deep in the forest, Firestar decided they would settle in a clearing near TallPines. Firestar sat next to Longtail, the two toms sitting in front of Cinderpelt. "We've made our decision, Cinderpelt," the ginger leader mewed.

"You have?" Cinderpelt mewed, her features schooled to show no emotion. Yellowfang taught her well, Longtail thought, but he still saw a small flicker of hope spark in her blue eyes.

"Though it's against the Warrior Code, we have decided to let you be our surrogate," Firestar mewed.

Longtail rolled his eyes. Why did Firestar have to mention the Warrior Code? It's like the ginger cat was trying to make up for all the times he broke the Code before he became leader of ThunderClan.

"Really?" Cinderpelt asked in a breathy whisper.

Firestar nodded while Longtail mewed, "Yes, we want you to be the surrogate."

The flicker of hope burned into another emotion, one that Longtail knew all too well, love. "Thank you," the gray medicine cat meowed.

"But the Clan can't know," Firestar said. "No one can know; if they ask where the kits came from, we'll have to think of something."

Longtail shot his mate a look, they didn't agree on this! Surely the Clans would notice if Cinderpelt was pregnant. Sometimes, he really did wonder if his mate thought things through.

"Alright," Cinderpelt nodded in agreement. She schooled her features again as she asked, "Who will be the father?"

Firestar, flustered, began to stutter. The pale tabby just rolled his eyes and mewed, "Firestar, of course."

"But Longtail, what about – ?" Firestar began in protest.

Longtail turned to him, his blue eyes hard. "You're the one who wants these kits so bad, so you're going to father them," he told his mate. Plus he knew this is what Cinderpelt wanted.

The ginger tom gaped at him before he slowly nodded. "We should get back to the Clan; we can discuss this further another time."

The two blue eyed cats nodded and followed their leader back to camp. When they returned, they found Sandstorm waiting for them. "Well? Have you talked about it?" the pale ginger asked.

Longtail wanted to hit himself. They had forgotten about Sandstorm! What were they to say to her? Thank, but no thanks, we're using Cinderpelt as the surrogate? No way!

"Yes, we have. I'm sorry, but we've decided to use someone else," Firestar mewed, using his 'leader' voice.

Sandstorm's fur began to prickle. "Who? Who did you pick?" she demanded, her green eyes flashing.

Firestar gulped. Cinderpelt had a small nervous light in her eye. But Longtail appeared calm; he knew how to handle this. The pale tabby took a step forward and opened his mouth to answer, but his mate opened his stupid mouth and had to shout out something equally as stupid.

"Princess!" Firestar shouted, a panicked light in his green eyes. He couldn't tell the truth and that was the first thing that came to his mind to throw Sandstorm off.

Longtail wanted to hit himself, or Firestar, whichever would make him feel better. Why couldn't his mate just keep his mouth shut? He swore his mate was getting stupider.

"Princess? Your sister?" Sandstorm exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.

"Y-yes, my sister; we went to ask her and she says she'll do it," Firestar meowed.

The pale tabby's eye twitched. Why couldn't Firestar just refrain from talking?

"Fine," Sandstorm huffed and padded off. Once she was out of hearing distance, Longtail turned to his mate.

"Can't you keep your mouth shut? I could've handled that! Now we have to tell Princess in case Sandstorm goes to confirm!" he hissed.

"I-I'm sorry, Longtail," Firestar tired apologizing, but Longtail was having nothing of it.

"Come on, Cinderpelt. Let's leave him to think about what he has done," Longtail mewed to the medicine cat and led the gray she-cat away. Cinderpelt looked back once, but continued to follow the pale tabby away.

Firestar sighed. Great! Now Longtial was angry at him again. Why can't he just keep his mouth shut?


	7. Chapter 7

Longtail sat in the shade of a tree in Princess' yard, the Kittypet resting by his side.

It had been a few days since Firestar had opened his big mouth and told Sandstorm that his sister was going to be the surrogate. They had gone to see Princess the next day and the Kittypet agreed to keep their secret and to pose as their surrogate if Sandstorm or anyone from the Clan came to confirm that she was the surrogate, she even offered up her yard for when Cinderpelt gives birth.

Longtail had decided to visit Princess while Firestar and Cinderpelt were away in the forest doing… he didn't even want to think about it.

The pale tabby warrior had become friends with the Kittypet after Firestar had introduced him to her, not long after they had become mates. He'd often visited her and complained about his mate, to which Princess would giggle and purr at.

Longtail's blue eyes kept drifting toward the fence, toward the forest behind it, his mind elsewhere than at the conversation he was having with the tabby she-cat.

"Don't worry, Longtail. My brother really loves you and would never leave you," Princess mewed, sensing the tom's fear that his mate would pick Cinderpelt after all this was done with. "He wanted to have kits with you after all."

The warrior sighed and turned to the Kittypet, studying her. Princess was a pretty she-cat and he might have even been attracted to her if he was interested in she-cats. She was easy to talk to and was always very kind; she was also much smarter than her brother. "You're right, but I can't help worrying," he mewed. He inwardly cursed at himself; he should have more trust in his mate.

"Maybe you should return to your camp and train Sootpaw? It will take your mind off things," Princess suggested, blinking caring amber eyes.

Longtail looked away. "I suppose I should," he meowed and got to his paws. "If Firestar comes looking for me here, will you tell him I've gone out to train Sootpaw?" he asked.

Princess nodded, "Of course."

The warrior leaned over the pretty she-cat and gave her an affectionate lick on her ear. "Thank you for letting me stay here for awhile," he mewed softly to her before jumping onto the fence.

Princess called out a farewell and watched him go. She sighed and got to her paws, starting to head back into her housefolk's den. Her brother was so lucky to have found such a handsome and caring mate in Longtail. It made her sometimes wonder if she made the right choice in staying a Kittypet and not joining her brother in the forest. She shook her head to dispel the thoughts as she padded through the cat door.

Half a moon had passed and Longtail found himself in the forest hunting, alone. He had left Sootpaw with Cloudtail and Rainpaw so he could get some alone time. He stepped silently forward in a hunter's crouch, his blue eyes trained on a rabbit ahead of him. He prepared himself to leap at the prey.

He let out a cry when he was suddenly, and roughly, tackled to the ground. "What in StarClan's name are you doing?" he hissed as he turned to face the cat on top of him and met bright green eyes that looked at him with a hard look.

"I could ask you the same question," Firestar mewed down at his captive, not letting him up. "You've been avoiding me. You won't even sleep in my den with me; for StarClan's sake we're mates!"

Longtail peeled his eyes away from that intense green gaze and focused on a bit of grass in the corner of his eye. "I just wanted to be alone, okay?" he murmured.

"I think you've been alone for far too long. Princess tells me you've come to see her almost every day now and will barely talk to her!" Firestar told him. "What's wrong with you? Have you changed your mind about the kits?"

"I'm fine!" the pale tabby snapped. "And I haven't changed my mind about the kits!"

"Then what is it?" the ginger tom asked, his eyes softening.

"Nothing," Longtail growled, trying to push his mate off him but Firestar's weight kept him down. "Will you just let me up!"

"No, not until you tell me what is going on," Firestar told him. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide as a thought came to him. "Are you jealous, Longtail? You're jealous of Cinderpelt, aren't you?" he asked in shock. He then turned his voice soft and caring, "You shouldn't be, you're the one I love, not her. I could never love anyone but you."

"I'm not jealous!" he spat, fur prickling up at the thought. Him jealous? No way! But he looked Firestar in the eye when his mate said he loved him. "Really? You won't leave me?"

The ginger leader's green eyes soften even more. He knew Longtail had these kinds of fears; throughout his mate's life he was left behind or abandoned or ignored by the ones he loved and cared for. "I would never do that to you," he told the blue eyed tom gently, leaning down and licking his mate's check. "Now come on, Cinderpelt has something to tell us," he mewed and got off his mate.

Longtail nodded and got to his paws. "Thank you," he whispered almost too softly for Firestar to hear.

The two mates padded back to camp, pelts brushing together. They went straight to the medicine cat's den; inside they found Cinderpelt waiting for them, her blue eyes shining.

"I've brought Longtail like you asked me to," Firestar meowed. "Will you tell me what it is now?"

Cinderpelt looked at the two toms, her eyes filled with joy and happiness. It would take an idiot to not tell what she was about to say. "Congratulations, Firestar, Longtail. We're having kits!"


	8. Chapter 8

Longtail walked into ThunderClan's camp just as the sun reached past the sunhigh point in the sky, his jaws filled with prey, and at his side was Sootpaw, who was dragging a large squirrel that he had caught. The young apprentice's loud purrs filled the pale tabby's ears, but Longtail couldn't bring himself to scold Sootpaw for being loud, it had been an impressive catch and the light gray tom should be proud of himself.

They stopped at the fresh kill pile, placing their prey on top of it. Longtail noticed the new warriors, Ashfur and Brambleclaw, were hanging around the pile. Deciding not to think much about it as the two were always close friends and the fresh kill pile was a good place to stop and chat, he turned and found Sootpaw's large amber eyes staring up at him expectantly. "What do we do next, Longtail?" the young tom asked eagerly.

Longtail's blue eyes shifted from his apprentice's eyes and spotted Sorrelpaw and Rainpaw by the stump in front of the apprentices' den. "Take some fresh kill to the elders," he told the younger cat. "You can have the rest of the day off after that, but don't keep your siblings if their mentors haven't released them from their duties yet."

"Okay!" Sootpaw chirped and picked up some prey before making his way over to the elders, who were basking in the sunlight outside their den.

Longtail turned back to the fresh kill pile and stared at it, wondering if he should take a piece for Cinderpelt. The pregnant medicine cat's stomach had gotten noticeable larger as the kits grew inside of her, it was still nearly a moon before the expected kitting time. The pale tabby had been going to sleep thanking StarClan for no one noticing that Cinderpelt was carrying kits. His ear twitched as the two young warriors began talking louder.

"Prey has been really good this greenleaf, even Cinderpelt has been eating more," Brambleclaw meowed to his friend.

"Yeah, she should cut back or she'll start really looking like those plump RiverClan cats," Ashfur purred back in amusement.

Longtail froze as he listened to the two. He had hoped that ThunderClan wouldn't comment on Cinderpelt's growing stomach out of respect for their medicine cat, but it seemed only a matter of time before someone figured out that Cinderpelt wasn't fat but pregnant.

"That's your medicine cat you're talking about! Didn't your mothers teach you any respect?" Longtail growled at the two as he stalked over to them, tail lashing.

Ashfur let out a squeak of surprise as he didn't know the older warrior was listening in on their conversation. "Sorry, Longtail!" he mewed to the pale tabby as his ears lowered in shame.

Brambleclaw turned his gaze on Longtail too, his ears lowering as well. "Sorry, it won't happen again," the big tabby tom meowed.

"Good, make sure it doesn't," the pale tabby told them. When he noticed they weren't leaving, he added, "Shouldn't you two be doing something to help the Clan instead of gossiping like queens?"

The two young warriors nodded quickly and scurried away from the older tom.

Longtail watched them go before hurrying over to the medicine cat's den and slipping in. He wasn't surprised to find Firestar in there talking with Cinderpelt, Firestar was visiting the medicine cat even more often now that she was pregnant. "We may have a problem," he told them, his voice tense from his worry.

"What? What is it?" Firestar asked, looking up with wide green eyes. He wondered what it could be that would make his mate look so worried.

"Has someone noticed?" Cinderpelt questioned, her blue eyes taking on a panicked light in them.

"No, no one has noticed, at least not yet. But it's only a matter of time before someone starts suspecting something," Longtail told them.

"This isn't good," Firestar mewed as he began to pace around the den. This was something he'd do when he encountered a problem that needed to be thought through carefully, but it wasn't something the leader did often. "I knew this was a bad idea," he grumbled.

Longtail's ears lowered slightly. It was true that it had been a very bad idea to agree to let a medicine cat be their surrogate, but the pale tabby warrior knew it was only fair for Cinderpelt that they'd let her do this. If Cinderpelt hadn't been injured on the Thunderpath and the two toms hadn't fallen in love, Firestar and Cinderpelt might have been mates. Longtail knew this and spend many long nights thinking about what might have been after Cinderpelt had told him she loved his mate.

"AH!" a cry of pain got the two mates' attention as well as a body falling to the ground.

The ginger tom and the pale tabby turned and saw Cinderpelt had collapsed on the ground, her face filled with pain and her eyes full of fear.

"What's wrong, Cinderpelt?" Firestar asked, his voice filled with concern and worry as he leapt to his former apprentice's side.

Longtail's blue eyes widen as a thought crossed his mind. No! Please, StarClan no!

"The kits! They're coming!" Cinderpelt cried as her body shook with pain.

It's way too early! They shouldn't be coming for nearly another moon!


	9. Chapter 9

"The kits! They're coming!" Cinderpelt cried as her body shook with pain.

It's way too early! They shouldn't be coming for nearly another moon!

"But it's too early!" Firestar gasped, fright filling his green eyes.

"We have to get her to Princess' garden," Longtail meowed, his voice urgent and hushed. Thoughts of how they could get Cinderpelt out of camp while it was filled with ThunderClan cats that had no idea that the medicine cat was pregnant flew through his mind. How could they pull this off when something was obviously wrong with Cinderpelt?

"But how?" the ginger tom asked, turning to stare at his mate desperately. He wanted these kits, but he also did not want to lose his best friend, one of his closest companions and the Clan’s medicine cat.

"The exit behind the nursery!" the pale tabby exclaimed as the thought came to him. "We take her out that way and no one may notice." He turned to the gray she-cat, who was cringing in pain. "Can you make it to Princess' garden?"

Cinderpelt opened her mouth to answer, but a small cry of pain came out that she quickly quieted. She let the wave of pain pass before she nodded.

"You think this will work?" the ThunderClan leader asked his mate.

Longtail nodded, "Yes, if we hurry." He padded to the entrance to the medicine cat's den and poked his head out. "No one's looking, lets' go. Cinderpelt, keep in front of us."

The three cats hurried out of the den and quickly made their way behind the nursery, and toward the hole in the camp wall, the two toms keeping the she-cat covered from any wary eyes. Cinderpelt slipped out of the exit and Firestar was just beginning to stick his head through.

"Where are you two going with Cinderpelt?"

Longtail and Firestar whipped around and they saw Sandstorm standing behind them looking curious and slightly suspicious. She was still a bit sour at the two toms for rejecting her to be the birth mother of their kits.

Nervousness flowed off Firestar in waves and he seemed too stunned to say anything to the warrior. Longtail stepped forward to speak, not wanting the ginger tom to say something that would give the secret away. "While I was hunting, I got word that Princess has begun kitting and there appears to be some complications, so I came to bring Cinderpelt to help," he explained.

Sandstorm narrowed her green eyes, as she appeared to be deciding if she was being told the truth. "What about her twolegs? Surely they are taking care of her," she meowed, her voice holding a calculating edge.

"These are our kits, Sandstorm! I will not leave their health and fate to twolegs!" Firestar hissed as his fur fluffed up and eyes narrowed at the she-cat. "We must leave now for I will not lose any kit because we were late." The ginger tom turned and quickly slipped out of camp.

As Longtail turned to follow, he saw the stunned look on Sandstorm and thought he also saw hidden in her eyes a hint of fear as well. He quickly followed after his mate and the medicine cat.

The three cats moved as swiftly as Cinderpelt could through the forest and soon made it outside of Princess' yard. Firestar helped the medicine cat under a gap at the bottom of the fence, while Longtail leapt over the fence.

"Princess!" the pale tabby called as he landed on the other side, looking around for the kittypet. "The kits are coming early!"

A few moments later, Princess came running out of the Twoleg den through a flap in the wall and rushed over to the small group. "They shouldn't be arriving this early," she meowed.

"But they are," Cinderpelt said, her voice full of pain as she collapsed to the ground. Firestar was at her side, trying to help her as worry filled his green eyes. "Get the supplies, Princess."

Princess nodded and went to get the supplies that had been collected and stored under a bush in the yard. Longtail went to help her, knowing that there was very little else he could do to help.

The moon had risen high in the sky by the time four small kits had been delivered and Cinderpelt had a small rest after the hard birth. The kits were all small, smaller than they would have been if they had come when they were due, but one was still smaller than the others, the runt of the litter.

There were three toms and one she-cat. The she-cat was born first and she had a blue-gray pelt and the kit that came next was a ginger tom that looked almost exactly like Firestar. The one born after the ginger tom was the smallest of the litter, a white tom with smoky-gray patches and finally there was a stormy-gray tom.

"What are you going to name them?" Princess asked the two toms as she stared down at her niece and nephews.

Longtail and Firestar turned to look at each other. Though kits were the only thing that Firestar could talk about for the longest time, the two mates hadn't actually sat down to think of possible names for their kits. Longtail nodded, letting Firestar know that he could name the first kit.

Firestar turned back to the kits and eyes were drawn to the only she-cat of the litter, the firstborn. Her pelt color looked familiar to him and he knew there was only one name he could name his daughter. "Bluekit, after Bluestar," he meowed.

Cinderpelt looked down at the newly named Bluekit and nodded as she mewed, "Her pelt does look a bit like Bluestar."

Longtail nodded, seeing it as well. Princess, who had never met Bluestar, also thought it was a good name.

All eyes turned to Longtail as they expected him to name the next kit. Longtail looked down at the remaining unnamed kits and felt a bit of nervousness fill him. He was naming a cat, giving them a name they would probably carry their whole life and he hoped the kit wouldn't grow to dislike any name he picked for it. He stared at the kits for a while longer before finally speaking, "The small white and gray tom. I want to name him Swiftkit, after…" His voice died down as he thought of the cat he was naming his son after.

"After Swfitpaw," Firestar finished for his mate, knowing exactly who Longtail was thinking of. "It is a great name."

The two toms then turned to look to each other and they both knew what to do next. "Cinderpelt, we'd like you to name one of the kits, they are yours too," Firestar told the exhausted she-cat.

"Thank you," she mewed and she didn't have to think that long over a name, "Flamekit for the ginger tom."

The other cats there agreed that it was a suiting name, but Longtail knew that there was another meaning for the name besides the color of the kit's fur. After Firestar, the cat she loves.

Longtail then turned to the kittypet, who had been very helpful throughout the long birth. "Would you like to name the last one, Princess?" the warrior asked her.

Princess was taken aback at the request; she hadn't thought she would be asked to name one. She looked to her brother and the medicine cat, but their eyes told her that they were also fine with her naming the last kit. The small tabby she-cat stared down at the last kit and thought over all the names she could give him, before finally she settled on one that she thought suited the kit. "I think Storm would be a good name- I mean Stormkit," she said, remembering the Clans' odd naming system at the last moment.

"It is a great name, Princess," Firestar meowed to his sister. The other two cats agreeing that it suited the kit.

The four cats watched the four kits as they dozed at Cinderpelt's belly, knowing that the secrets and lying wouldn't end with their birth. They would have to keep the kits' real parentage a secret from the kits and lie to keep it. But they all knew that secrets are a very hard thing to keep hidden for a long time and that one-day the kits may find out the truth.


End file.
